Belle of the Ball was originally inspired by the Shindig episode of Firefly, which presented a lavish party with clear visual influences from Victoriana and the Antebellum South, but mixed with lots of other aesthetic cues.

Since then, I've described Belle's setting as a Victorian or Southern ball, since that's an easier explanation to new players. I'd still like the game's art to take both as a source of inspiration, but both come with a lot of historical baggage. I prefer a more contemporary, balanced representation in the art than would pass "historical accuracy" nitpicking.

To get around all that, I'm developing a fictional setting for Belle of the Ball. Not too vast, mind you, just a simple, short bit of worldbuilding to make clear that the game is set not in England or in the American South. Rather, it's some other place at some other time that just so happens to have dapper wardrobe and silly names. I've actually already given each guest a title and county of origin. For example...

Gigglesack Lololol, Zest of Latesun

Velocipede Vintertav, Gem of Krinkle

Radioactive Rendermum, Barge of Jamshire

Meowsmith Mutterhutt, Rock of Indigum

Obelisk Orlantop, Inch of Highmount

Mumblecore Masherfax, Cape of Glitterfall

Lafayette Linenhatch, Quill of Flappingap

Thathery Thumbvee, Eye of Dent

Jugular Jugkeg, Wall of Craw

Pinchlehead Pimpleleg, Jack of Boarsend

Critique Crappique, Drake of Anglebottom

At first, this was an excuse to embed layer of information on each Guest card, in hopes of future expansions tapping into this data set. Now it may also serve as the outline of a whole fictional setting.

I imagine Anglebottom, Boarsend, Craw, Dent, Flappingap, Glitterfall, Highmount, Indigum, Jamshire, Krinkle and Latesun being counties (or tiny countries) on a large Isle. I'd love it if that isle had a name with "bel" somewhere in it. Here's what folks on Twitter have brainstormed so far.